Safeguarding

WHAT DOES SAFEGUARDING MEAN?

Our safeguarding policy aims to provide all members of staff, children and young people, and their families with a clear and secure framework for ensuring that all children in the school are protected from harm, both while at school and when off the schools premises. The policy sets out schools commitment to safeguarding and that it aims to create a culture of vigilance and will always work in the best interests of the child. The safeguarding leaflet summarises key responsibilities for parents and school staff to safeguard their children. If you have any questions then please contact our safeguarding team (Adele Fearon, Julie Greenslade, Andrea Gourley or Judith Dononvan)

The Prevent duty is the duty in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 on specified authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. The statutory guidance on the Prevent duty summarises the requirements on schools in terms of four general themes: risk assessment, working in partnership, staff training and IT policies.

All school personnel complete training to be able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, and know what to do when they are identified. Prevent duty forms part of our safeguarding duty, we aim to protect our pupils from the risk of radicalisation and promote fundamental British values.

Gibside School’s involvement with Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass is being run in partnership with both Gateshead Council and Northumbria Police.

The project started in April 2015, to support children who are affected by Domestic Abuse. Witnessing domestic abuse is really distressing for a young person, who can often see the abuse, hear it from another room, see a parent’s injuries or distress afterwards or be physically hurt trying to stop the abuse.

As a result, following any domestic abuse incident being reported into Northumbria Police, specialist Police Officers will make contact with the school and communicate relevant and necessary information to nominated school staff. This will ensure that the school is made aware at the earliest possible opportunity and can subsequently provide support in a way that means the child feels safe.

At Gibside School the staff involved in Operation Encompass are: Adele Fearon and Julie Greenslade who have been fully trained to liaise with the Police, when required, and will ensure that necessary support is made available to the child following the disclosure of a domestic abuse incident.

We believe this project demonstrates the schools commitment to working in partnership, to safeguard and protect children, and to providing the best possible care and support for our pupils.